Jump to content

Fall run?

Rate this topic


Sngl2th

Recommended Posts

Today on the rocks/ledges was complete craziness! I watched thousands of stripers swimming by under me for hours, running into the shallow pools, sometimes pushing the baby bunker up onto the rocks. Much of the time there were five 16 to 22-inch stripers chasing my fly on every cast, with more harassing every fish I hooked. You could catch schoolies by just smacking your fly on the water under your feet. I mostly fished a t-11 head to get down, and had good luck going low and slow with hollow flies. I caught a few heavier fish that took some drag, and had a few real heartbreakers with 35-plus-inchers following the fly to my feet. Eventually I couldn't bend my elbows anymore without heavy cramping, and spent some time throwing baby bunkers to the schoolies. Anyways, this started as "I'll go try to catch a few more fish before the season ends." This is only my second season in Maine, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it sure seemed like a fall run! My one regret was not bringing poppers. I had the place to myself except for one other guy towards the end of the outgoing. What a day!

 

IMG_6426.thumb.JPG.397282d1f42206a087023e384231edcc.JPG

 

IMG_6418.thumb.JPG.88a22cb0212e94beb4c50927ba1ab54c.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Sngl2th said:

Today on the rocks/ledges was complete craziness! I watched thousands of stripers swimming by under me for hours, running into the shallow pools, sometimes pushing the baby bunker up onto the rocks. Much of the time there were five 16 to 22-inch stripers chasing my fly on every cast, with more harassing every fish I hooked. You could catch schoolies by just smacking your fly on the water under your feet. I mostly fished a t-11 head to get down, and had good luck going low and slow with hollow flies. I caught a few heavier fish that took some drag, and had a few real heartbreakers with 35-plus-inchers following the fly to my feet. Eventually I couldn't bend my elbows anymore without heavy cramping, and spent some time throwing baby bunkers to the schoolies. Anyways, this started as "I'll go try to catch a few more fish before the season ends." This is only my second season in Maine, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it sure seemed like a fall run! My one regret was not bringing poppers. I had the place to myself except for one other guy towards the end of the outgoing. What a day!

 

IMG_6426.thumb.JPG.397282d1f42206a087023e384231edcc.JPG

 

IMG_6418.thumb.JPG.88a22cb0212e94beb4c50927ba1ab54c.JPG

What a FANTASTIC picture of those peanuts!!! Great fish too btw, hopefully those show up in NH this week...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Outstanding fishing the past three days on the beaches and ledges of Southern Maine. Overall a great season with a signature fall run that was absent in my area last year.  Like Sngl2th said, big schools of bass chasing down the bait out front. I observed several  big schools of stripers chasing waves of bait over a 1/2 mile stretch of water. Rock hopping rewarded me with a couple dozen fatties in the mid twenties and a few in the low 30"s the past few days. Pencils and spooks working overtime . The beginning of the end, "The Fall Run", is indeed upon us. Hopefully you can take the time to make the time.

(*member formerly known as 'garycunn)'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, get out there! Was too wiped out/busy to go today, but let us know if it's still popping off out front south of Portland. Last night I couldn't sleep with visions of gannets, bait balls, and cruisers dancing before me. Here's a less overexposed peanut pic taken at sunset, for you bunker fans--

 

59d9379aafece_IMG_6415(1).thumb.JPG.69a3fbc211c92fc13903d6780dbf1f2b.JPG

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heavy surface action off a beach in Rye this morning. Unfortunately they were about 400' off the beach, which was very shallow so they didn't come any closer, alas. I followed them down the beach then they turned and came back but never in. Got one hit just as a roller hit me in the neck, missed the set and cursed a blue streak. I really don't enjoy fly fishing in the surf I have to say, switching to a shooting head from here on out....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, TwoLightsKid said:

Sounds great, last time I saw a peanut blitz like that in Maine was 2007.  Hope it continues!

Ha, that sounds about right. I'm pretty sure that was the first and only time I saw a peanut blitz in Maine. Think it was second or third week of October in Cape E. had no idea what I was doing at the time and was lucky enough to experience it. Crazy amount of small bass on the feed with HUGE bass circling 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to register here in order to participate.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...